Buses - USA and Canada: Books - History and Technology

Motorcoach Milestones

The Museum of Bus Transportation presents this special book about the buses that made a difference, from the first Mack bus in America, the famous and few double-deckers, postwar sightseeing buses, and the various innovative designs that defined the modern bus.

Important models, manufacturers, bus lines, innovative features and designs are featured with captions presenting their contributions to bus history. Follow the growth of the bus industry from 1895 through the 20th Century with this educational timeline of captioned photographs.

American Buses

Not long after the invention of the automobile, the motorized, multipassenger vehicle appeared on America's roads. Early buses were nothing more than extended lightweight cars that quickly evolved into sturdy, truck-based commercial conveyances by the 1920s. Since then, the variety of bus designs, styles, and purposes has been staggering.

"American Buses" features archival photography of the great American buses, from the turn-of-the-century depot hacks to the modern Greyhound and Trailways liners. From readily recognized school buses to the heavily modified luxury entertainer liners, American Buses traces all of the major bus styles from manufacturers including Mack, Yellow Coach, GMC, Flxible, Superior, and Motor Coach Industries.

Author and bus historian Donald Wood chronicles the whole history of buses that carry the nation's children, tourists, workers, and entertainers. The 300 black and white photographs of bus interiors and exteriors make American Buses a requisite for bus enthusiasts as well as those who simply crave the sights, sounds, and feel of "true Americana."

Covers intercity coaches, school buses, suburban coaches, city buses, tour and sigtseeing buses, airport buses, military and goivernment buses & more.

City Transit Buses of the 20th Century Photo Gallery

Packed with high-quality black and white photographs, this feast for bus aficionados features the city transit buses that operated throughout the 20th century. Over 300 heavily captioned photos provide a wealth of information on city transit buses, the companies that built them, and the companies that operated them.

As well as providing a fascinating look at the wide range of transit buses built and operated in the 20th century, the authors explore the forces at work in the bus industry that brought about the vast improvements made in transit systems and bus design.
Bus and transit enthusiasts will come back to this book over and over. A vital reference source.

Highway Buses of the 20th Century Photo Gallery

Over 300 photos combined with insightful captions to present a complete history of the intercity, charter, tour, and sightseeing bus industry throughout the 20th Century.
Each of the 11 chapters provides an overview of each important time period, including the development of styling and paint schemes, comfort, passenger seating, length/width, safety, engines, brakes, tires, transmissions, and the influence of road conditions, Federal regulations, national parks, tourism and entertainment, and international influences.

High-quality photos illustrate a vast array of bus manufacturers and bus models, including the models that were used extensively as well as some that were unusual. Represented are many interesting bus companies, their bus routes, and other interesting facts.

New York Fifth Avenue Coach Co. 1885-1960

New York City's legendary Fifth Avenue Coach Company was famous for its double-deck buses as well as its role as a leader in public transportation in New York City. It was the first bus company with gasoline powered buses and air-conditioning, and also the last company in the US to use double-deckers, which were also the last double-deck buses built in America.

This book covers all the various bus designs used, like early horse-drawn omnibuses and buses brought over from England, early Brills built on French chassis. Buses Fifth Ave Coach built in their own garage on 102nd Street using American-made chassis. Later Yellow Coaches and GMCs.

Trailways Buses 1936-2001 Photo Archive

This Photo Archive portrays the powerful history of the Trailways bus organization, one of the largest systems of independent motorcoach operators in the world. Trailways has been in existence for some 64 years and is still running strong today, specifically in the South, East, and Pacific Northwest.
Today there are more than 2,500 coaches operating in the Trailways system serving 500 destinations in 27 states, as well as Canada and Mexico.

Now, through these historic photographs, bus and transportation enthusiasts can experience the enormous variety of bus makes and models used by the company, as well as many interesting and unusual designs.
Well-known bus enthusiast and historian William A. Luke has put together this exciting collection of photos that no bus lover should be without.